How can I loathe, hate, despise, and think bad thoughts about my neighbor's now gray-faced fox terrier that is DA aggro, when that is a trait that is 'accepted' in our breed? I hate this little sh!t and can hear his sharp, peircing bark inside my house! They only occasionally use a bark collar and I call sometimes when he's been on a rampage for long periods of time. He claws at the window sills and barks loudly and shrill-ly at any dog that passes by and has escaped his house once and attacked Ruby who was tied up in front of our house when we were doing stuff out front. Is this totally hypocritical on my part or is he just a fiesty terrier with an exceptionally loud voice that bothers me (they have hardwood floors, too so it really echoes). Should I hate him less? Ruby has, conveniently for me, not seemed to have developed those tendencies (yet) .. so I haven't been used to/exposed to "pit bull DA'....

Do you hate the dog aggression or the fact that the dog's owners let it act like a total uncontrolled ass? There's a big difference in my mind.

I like to keep our front door open during the day. We have 8 foot tall doors, and the screen door is full height. We have a four foot tall gate that I put up to keep the dogs from going through the screen. When people walk past the house, they do rush the door barking, but one "e-nough" and they shut up and go back to whatever they were doing.

I think control is more of the factor here. I don't care what the breed is, I can't stand it when people let their dogs act like idiots - whether it is based in aggression or anything else.

Personally, I'm very very tolerant of my neighbor's barking dogs because Riggs never ever shuts up in his crate. I'm not tolerant of bad behavior, but I can't say a word about noise!

Michelle

Inside me is a thin woman trying to get out. I usually shut the bitch up with a martini.

I think that the reaction is not acceptable but it is acceptable to have any Terrier that is DA. That being said, this doesn't mean that its ok for the dog to throw a fit or have a temper tantrum at the sight of every dog.

I know its REALLY difficult not to associate it with the dog directly, but remember that dogs are mostly a product of their owners, so if anyone deserves your negative thoughts , its his people...

How are you able to hear him? Are there windows open? can you ask them to close the windows?

I think the best way to "keep the peace" on this one may be to either keep speaking to them nicely or just put up with it

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Good points. Maybe I just hate his particular shrill voice. Other neighbors have called the police multiple times. When they got him 9 years ago, I took them a city flyer on the dog classes that are offered and they never did any formal training with him to my knowledge. I'm sure I'd probably feel different if I had more of my own comparable 'issues' to deal with. It's just been bugging me that I've built up such (misplaced) anger over all of these years but I figured it was more my own than anything else - tho they DO leave their windows open to echo and no bark collar (very often) when they're gone.... grrrr Ruby, tho has been making a bit of a scene at dogs passing by lately (seen via front security screen and back gate peep hole) and I try to quiet her when I can so I, myself, don't feel embarrassed.... So we're not total innocents here either.

terriers have VERY shrill voices, and they can become so fixated and so single minded that their persistance can be very frustrating, as well.

I would ask them if they can close their windows or put the dog in a room where he is not able to see or frequently hear noises of passers by. I think thats fair.

Its not like you're asking them to paint their house bright pink, and you could be legitimately having noise nuisance tickets written to them, as well...

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07